Improvement in tailors  measures



2 Sheets--Sheet 1.

l. A. JOHNSTON. Tailors Measures. No. 1403507, Pate ntedJuly1,1873.

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. 2Sheets--Sheet2. J. A. JOHNSTON.

Tailors Measures. No. 140,507. Patentedjuly1,1873.

AM PhD/O-LITHOGHAFHIC :0. MY oseomve- P/mcsss) PATENT OFFICE.

JONES AMASA JOHNSTON, MONTREAL, CANADA.

' IMPROVEMENT IN TAILORS' MEASURES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N 0.

140,507, dated July 1, 1873; application filed March 6, 1873.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JoNEs AMAsA JOHN- sToN, of the city of Montreal, in the district of Montreal, in the province of Quebec, Ganada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements on the Art of Cutting Garments for the human body and on the Apparatus used therefor; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

This invention has reference to improvements on the art of measurement, to obviate the defects of those methods at present generally adopted by tailors, in which the measurements taken are usually long, curving, and what may be termed girting. These seldom give the exact size, and cannot in any way show the shape of the part of the body to be fitted. In contradistinction to these I take for each and every part of the garment to be cut out short straight measures, and have devised for this purpose an apparatus which I call my flexible square, by which alone I am enabled to do so.

I claim that by my art and by the use of my flexible square a novice will be able to cut out garments as accurately, and in most cases better fitting than those out out by experienced cutters under the old systems and further, that a deformed or misshapen person may be fitted with perfect accuracy.

This apparatus and the methods of cutting out are clearly shown in the drawings hereto annexed, in which similar letters of reference indicate like parts, and where- Figure 1 is :a view of my flexible square. Fig. 2 is a view of a supplementary square or measure for taking the width of the back. Fig.3 is a back view of a man, showing the way of applying these two squares in measurement. Fig. 4 is a side view, showing application of flexible square. Fig. 5, is a diagram, showing the square and method of drafting.

Letter A is the flexible square of the configuration shown, made preferably of leather and cotton, with a stifi'ening of card-board; but I do not confine myself to these particular materials, as any others found suitable may be used. a, b, b, c, c, d, and d are pins or pivots firmly fastened to the square A, the

pins b, c, and d being respectively exactly in the same relative positions to the pin a as the pins b, c, and d. e and e are sockets formed where shown, to receive a straight edge, B, made preferably of metal, thin enough to be elastic, slotted at its upper end to fasten on the pin a, and provided with two small pins, f and g. 0 is the strap, used as will be hereafter explained. D is a small square resembling that used by carpenters, and provided with a strap or measure, E. This is for the purpose of taking the width of the back which is done by passing the long arm of the square under the arm, pressing the short arm close up to it and taking the requisite measure with the strap. This may also be used by measuring from both sides to find the center of the back.

Fig; 5 shows more particularly the method of taking the measurements. -The square, as will be seen by Figs. 4 and 5, is pressed in front closely up against-the arm, and passes under it, the strap 0 passing diagonally over th opposite shoulder, and being buttoned on the breast to the pin b, thus keeping the square firmly in place while the measurements are being taken.

The part of the square passing under the arm gives the horizontal line marked F, and the other half the vertical line marked G. From these lines are taken the measurements required. The metal straight-edge B, forming part of thevertical line G, passes down in front of the hip, and from this line may be taken all measurements for the breast and waist, and over the hip both in front and back of the instrument, thus giving the respective exact distances.

To show the difference between this new tai'lors,we may mention that the ordinary way of measuring would be simply to girt the waist, and it is obvious that by such a method it is impossible to get the proper relative proportions.

The horizontal line F, or the position of the under side of the arm, once determined by the square gives a datum line for all measures of height required in cutting out the back. For instance, to ascertain the exact shape of the shoulder the distance is first taken from any mejghod and the old one generally used by given point, H, on the neck, parallel with the center of the back to the line F at the point I; from the point I to the pin d, and from the pin 01 to the point H, all of these being short straight measures. To show the Value of these it will be suflicient to say that in any two men the distance from H to I might be exactly the same, and yet the other two distances from H and 1, respectively, to d differ vcrymatestraightedge B is, after the one-side has been measured, withdrawn from the socket e, and transferred to that e, in order to take themeasurements of the other side, or vice versa, as the case may be.

Although more particularly adapted for coats my art and apparatus may be applied whenever found suitable to cutting out other garments, such as shirts, &c.

WVhat I claim is as follows:

The square A with straight-edge B and strap 0, constructed substantially as described, whereby the datum lines F and G are applied to the figure, as set forth. 4,

Montreal, 20th day of February, A. D. 1823.

J. A. J OHN STON.

Witnesses:

(J. G. G. SIMPSON, FRAS. HY. REYNOLDS. 

